WPTV and WSM to become ABC affiliation in the 80s

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

May 9, 1988

The Fox Broadcasting Company had revealed that they would pick up the new Monday night programs Angels '88 and City Court, as well as two daytime game shows Gambit and Eavesdroppers.

Eavesdroppers would be hosted by Art James, in his return to game show roots.

City Court was to be a spinoff of Cannell's hit program 21 Jump Street, and Angels '88 was an updated version of Charlie's Angels.

(The OTL's Writers Guild strike of 1988 would have been butterflied away, leaving in to start on time).

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

May 11, 1988

Nintendo is planning on an expansion team for video games for the Western market. The Western developers/expansion team roster is primarily consisting of Rare Ltd., Beam Software and Silicon Video Software, and hopes to get computer programmers to do NES games.

Mindscape used the expansion team development for Nintendo as a leverage.

It is expected that the Famicom Compact Disk System would be out next week in Japan, with reissues of old Cassette System titles, as well as the QuadSystem.

16-bit gaming is on the rise, so impressed by the new arcade technology, newer consoles are required to use the 16-bit module. Atari Games Corp. came close to releasing Star Wars on the NES next month, so it was not an adaptation of the 1983 vector game, but rather a straight adaptation of the film.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

May 16, 1988

The Famicom Compact Disk System is out, and it will succeed very well. It was a Sony-developed technology that hits out the market, and the launch titles are the same launch titles the Cassette System however did.

It is in the works on Super Mario Bros. 3, which is about to be out in the October of 1988.

Nintendo hoped that they would succeed very well, and the QuadSystem is also out, with new technology in its favor.

Nintendo's next product in development, the Game Boy is planning on to release early next year, as well as a color TV adapter developed by Sony for the Famicom. Citing the example of how the colors on the TV adapter worked (see below):

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

May 19, 1988

The new Atari 10400 console is underway, and we have to get the three Hasbro-produced titles at launch. Hasbro says they would develop titles for the Atari 10400 by Atari Corporation, alongside the new Chicago office.

The Chicago development team says they had to work on a new console.

Epyx says they had to get the new Handy project to be demonstrated at the Summer CES 1988 or sooner.

The Game Boy is about to be released early next year, along with a color TV add-on for the Famicom. Tengen says they obtained the license for Tetris, and Nintendo held the handheld rights to the title.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

May 24, 1988

It is reported that Computer Entertainer: The Television Show is a go to all of the stations who cleared it, and two stations are about to give us the show in order to make all the excitement in the program.

MGM/UA Television is the one who was responsible for making this television series.

Tribune would planning on to launch a Los Angeles bureau for the Independent Network News, based out of KTLA, and a Washington, D.C. bureau.

It is reported that they would extend the program to 1991, in order to gave us advertising time for a national syndicated newscast.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

May 26, 1988

The details for the Game Boy TV Adapter for the Nintendo Famicom was out! The details included that there are 56 colors (which is the typical Famicom color palette), compared to the standard Game Boy 4-color palette.

It was reported that Sony Corporation through the Sony Interactive Entertainment subsidiary would develop the title.

It could have a link cable port that connects well to Game Boy, and the sound is the standard Game Boy sound (similar to OTL's Super Game Boy 2).

It would be out in early 1989, and hopes that the TV Adapter would succeed very well.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

May 30, 1988

The Dutch media giant Phillips had started a new video game company Phillips Software Group with a Nintendo licensee. Phillips intention was to sign the Western developers and the Japanese game developers with contracts.

One of the first contracts signed to Phillips was European developer Rare, Ltd., who is currently in the process of doing NES games.

Phillips was proudly pleased of the video game business, and decided to expand the software.

Phillips Software Group was headquartered in Los Angeles, and also has offices in New York City. (OTL's Phillips CD-i got butterflied away)

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

June 4-7, 1988

The International Summer Consumer Electronics Show has been out! Sega is getting the new Master System Floppy Disk Drive, with Phantasy Star, ALF, Monopoly, R-Type, Space Harrier 3D and Zaxxon 3D with the all-new 3D glasses. The Master System Cassette System adapter has Dragon's Lair, Space Ace and Solar Jungle.

As for the Nintendo booth, Acclaim offered WWF WrestleMania, a Disk System title, and Airwolf and Empire City, both Disk System games for early 1989. Activision said that Predator and Zombie Master would be offered for 1989 on the Disk System, and we have a Nintendo version of the Ghostbusters game. Also on the Cassette System is a new Silicon Video Software title Beyond the Wild. American Sammy Corp. offered as a new licensee with Ninja Taro and Mission XX. Bandai had new titles Xevious and Blasteroids (both titles licensed from Atari Games/Namco), as well as Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hide, and showing the Mega Programable Controller. Bandai also has a Cassette System game and a tie-in fashion doll in an effort to compete with Mattel and the Barbie franchise, Charlotte, which was designed and shot by Silicon Video Software.

Broderbund has kept Deadly Towers, as well as the new titles R-Type for the Disk System, The Battle Fields of Napoleon, also a Disk System game, Legacy of the Wizard for the NES and for 1989, had The Guardian Legend. Capcom U.S.A. would have Willow, as well as Legendary Wings, 1943 and Bionic Commando, while Capcom is obtaining new titles Street Fighter, Mickey Mouse, and for 1989, Titan Warriors and Blacktiger. Culture Brain offered Super Chinese Hero, Flying Dragon: The Secret Scroll and Flying Dragon II: On Wings of Dragon, and The Magic of Scheherzade. Data USA displayed RoboCop, a version of the arcade game Rampage, showing Cobra Command and Formula 1 Grand Prix. FCI got the rights from Nichibutsu, Magmax and Seicross. Though GameTek is the new Nintendo licensee were Disk System titles Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, as well as its junior editions, Family Feud, Classic Concentration, Card Sharks and Double Dare. GameTek offered to Fisher-Price for new Disk System titles Fun Flyer, Ride-on Bus Trip, Fire House and Bowling. Hal America showed Joust and Kangaroo, and Vegas Dream, Defender II, Rollerball and the Disk System titles Air Fortress and Adventures of Lobo, for 1989.

Hi-Tech Expressions offered new Disk System titles Sesame Street 123 and Sesame Street ABC, while Hudson Soft got Adventure Island, Milon's Secret Castle, Bomberman and Starship Hector. Irem has only one Disk System title, which was a localized version of Youkai Yashiki, and its only title Sqoon has been discontinued. Jaleco got their new title Bases Loaded, as well as new titles Racket Attack and Robowarrior. Kemco-Seika demonstrated Superman, Spy vs. Spy, Spy vs. Spy II: The Island Caper, Secret Warriors and Desert Tank Force. Konami showed Adventures of Bayou Billy and CastleVania II: Simon's Quest for the Disk System, as well as Life Force and Track & Field II. LJN got the Disk System with NFL Football, Marvel's X-Men, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and horror titles A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. Milton Bradley showed California Games as the only 1988 title, while Summer Games and World Games has been delayed to 1989.

Bad Street Brawler was dropped from Mindscape's lineup and replaced by Paperboy, as well as new Atari conversions Road Runner and 720. Romstar has not yet announced any games. SNK would get Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road, as well as new titles Iron Tank, Lee Trevino's Fighting Golf, Touchdown Fever and Guerilla Wars. Sunsoft would get Freedom Force, Xenophobe, Platoon and Blaster Master, as well as new Disk System title Terminator, and recently-released Cassette System titles Dragon's Lair and Space Ace. Taito would get Operation Wolf and Bubble Bobble, all Disk System titles. Taxan would get their game Mappy-Land, licensed from Namco. Tecmo is dropping Solomon's Key and Mighty Bomb Jack, in order to get Tecmo Baseball, Tecmo Bowl and Ninja Gaiden. Tengen discontinued release of Galaga, Millipede and Peter Pack-Rat, and inserted Pac-Man and Tetris as the new entry for the NES, and R.B.I. Baseball was in limited release, as well as Gauntlet. Tradewest showcased Double Dragon as the new title, and told that John Elway's Quarterback has been delayed. Ultra Games has been showing four titles for the Disk System, which are Metal Gear, Skate or Die, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Defender of the Crown. Vic Tokai had four new titles Terra Cresta, Chester Field, Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode and Kid Kool, for the Disk System. Nintendo would showed Donkey Kong Classics, Super Mario Bros. 2 and Zelda II: The Adventures of Link for the Disk System, and bought out Bandai's Family Fun Fitness and Power Pad would be compatible with existing Bandai software and two previously-announced games Dragon Warrior and Return of Donkey Kong has been deleted.

Sony Interactive Entertainment, a Nintendo licensee showed Stash, Genius and My Dysfunctional Life, while delaying Final Fantasy to early 1989 to show a number of cassette copies producing. Phillips a new Nintendo licensee showed a version of the computer game Crusade in Europe for the Disk System.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

June 9, 1988

Tengen Inc., a subsidiary of Atari Games Corp., who already discontinued several earlier Nintendo titles, is giving them expansion, so it could remain a Nintendo license and high hopes to do something important for 1989.

The company's recent project, a Nintendo version of Blasteroids, which was optioned and licensed to Bandai was already completed would be released in September by Bandai. Other games in development by Atari was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which was optioned and licensed to Mindscape, would soon to be out.

Tengen says they did not want to manufacture cartridges (OTL's Tengen black cartridges were butterflied away, so the remaining Tengen games would became a Nintendo licensee).

The company, along with Bullet-Proof Software, Andromeda Software Ltd., Mirrosoft Ltd. and Sphere, Inc. were giving the handheld rights to Tetris to Nintendo to show the capabilities of the Game Boy (OTL's NES version by Nintendo has been butterflied away).

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

June 13, 1988

WJPR, Fox's station for the Lynchburg/Roanoke/Danville market, owned by the Jefferson-Pilot Corporation is entering a news share agreement with Fisher-Allbritton Television's WSET-TV, now an ABC affiliate on channel 13 to produce prime time news.

The new primetime newscast was dubbed The 21 Ten O'Clock News, and emphasized a larger audience.

It would use WSET-TV's anchors and meteorologists to demonstrate how to work with their own newscasts.

WSET-TV last week covered reports and coverage of the recent Summer Consumer Electronics Show of 1988 to test the audience.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

June 16, 1988

After a merger with Malrite fell through, Clear Channel Communications, a radio outlet in San Antonio agreed to purchase TVX Broadcast Group for $350 million, and decided that they would rebrand it as Clear Channel Television, Inc., which became their own subsidiary.

Clear Channel also agreed to sell WLVI-TV in Boston to Fox Television Stations, as well as some stations to Act III Broadcasting.

One of Clear Channel's flagship TV stations was said to be WLFL-TV in Raleigh/Durham.

Clear Channel says they hoped to buy more television stations in the future, well beyond the 1990s.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

June 20, 1988

After pondering with the low ratings of its primetime news program on WXXA, NBC owned-and-operated station in the Capital District, WCRN signed on to take over production of WXXA's newscasts in Albany,

WXXA is currently a Fox television affiliate for the Capital District.

This, along with WSET's newscasts on WJPR were the first kind of having a news share agreement, by having another station to produce newscasts on an independent station.

It is reported that most of WXXA's news team would merge into WCRN to help having the big skeleton crew to get the newscasts using their meteorologists and anchors.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

June 24, 1988

New developers are planting to get Nintendo licensees. Most of them were Japanese developers, but six of them are intended-to-be Western developers. These are Eastridge Technology, who is already developing Paperboy for the NES, Beam Software, Rare, Ltd., Atari Games Corp., Software Creations Ltd. and Silicon Video Software.

It is expected that they would grow to 10 Nintendo developer licensees for the Western market next year.

These were employed by the creative team of Western talent, and the six collective companies were the "Western team" by Sony executives.

The Western developers are doing experienced talent for what the console market is doing.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

June 27, 1988

A new Nintendo project was seemed to be in the works in the early of 1989. It is said that Dragon Warrior were delayed, while Sony was delaying Final Fantasy to next year in order for Sony to produce cassettes.

Nintendo hopes that the Nintendo CD-ROM System could come out in 1989. Nintendo Keyboard Adapter is out recently, so does the new Cassette System game My Dysfunctional Life.

Bandai's planned Charlotte FMV game seemed to be in the works, was to be for the Cassette System, by a Western team member Silicon Video Software. Bandai's executives said they hoped to compete with Mattel and their Barbie franchise.

Silicon Video Software is backed by former Atari console programmers, who trained full-motion video footage for the Cassette System.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

June 30, 1988

Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. is offering the rights to make Square games for the Nintendo Disk System, as well as an expanded catalog of titles for the Famicom and the Famicom Cassette System.

One of the upcoming titles for Famicom would be a dubbed verison of My Dysfunctional Life, and Final Fantasy II.

Sony is giving them new board products through boarder companies. Sony is planning to offer with Quinty, which Sony claims as cute as other FMV games.

They would make the big board to launch new accessories for the Famicom, including the Game Boy TV adapter. Sony has the America subsidiary Sony Interactive Entertainment of America, Inc., which would develop NES material.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

July 5, 1988

As floppy disks and video cassettes became the standard for video gaming, Commodore produced a new version of the Amiga by adding a videocassette adapter to the video computer in order to take advantage of the technology.

Atari has plans to delay Atari 10400 to 1989, just in time for the new titles.

Nintendo/Sony's VHS-based add-on has became the biggest video game sellers, so does the Nintendo Disk System, which tied up by sellers.

Sega is planning on to release a VHS-based add-on port for the Sega Mega Drive, as well as floppy disks by 1989 in Japan. NEC has plans to do VHS, CD and floppy add-ons for the new PC Engine by early 1989.

 

[ToastyPancakes]

I wonder if there will be any Sonic games for the Sega Mega Drive's VHS-based add-on.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

OK. There is one VHS-based sequel in 1992, and a CD follow-up in 1993.

 

[Duc4AlternateHistory]

July 7, 1988

Clear technologies has been arrived to the industry as Phillips is preparing a new set of cleaning washing machines in order to help improve the technology to became more clear focused.

Sony is launching a new set of clear television sets for US$59.99 in order to be bigger.

WRLH is planning on to expand a news operation to launch a morning newscast, in one of TVX's more successful efforts.

Clear technology was just the beginning of a new time.

 

[ToastyPancakes]

OK. There is one VHS-based sequel in 1992, and a CD follow-up in 1993.

Is that VHS-based sequel Sonic 2 or a completely different Sonic game?